 Poster: A snowHead
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Is it possible to get 1 way car hire from Geneva to Val D'Isere?
I normally hire a car but as I'm going for 3 weeks on this trip, that's looking very expensive and a bit wasteful given it's going to sit in a car park. It's over Xmas / New Year if that makes any difference.
I'd rather not do a private transfer as I'd like to stop in Annecy for lunch on the return drove back to Geneva (late flight, early check out so time to kill), so thought about a 1 way car hire.
Google throws up Europcar that allegedly have an office in Val and do 1 way hire, but according their website is never open.
Any ideas?
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've looked into one way car hire for transfers in the Alps a few times, but have had both the same problem with opening times of the 'Alpine offices' and the cost! They really load you for one way journeys and there does seem to be a bit of a gap in the market for this kind of facility! I would be interested if anyone else has had any success.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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trainee snowboard jedi, daft idea just to have lunch in annecy IMHO..kill the time skiing!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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And you are looking at hiring in Switzerland, returning the car in France, then doing vice versa ro go home.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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You can pick up on the French side of Geneva which I normally do as it's cheaper
Re: spending the time skiing, I have 2 young kids and the nursery doesn't open on Saturday, so that option is not option to me unfortunately, otherwise I would.
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Sorry, I really do not want to do a bus with 2 young kids, it won't be fun for anyone, not least the other passengers
Also, as I said in my OP, I have a lot of time to kill on the return day so wanted to stop in Annecy for lunch on the way back rather than hang around the airport for hours (need to leave the apartment at 9am, flight not until 4pm)
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When are day are you going home? If its Saturday 4 hours would be a reasonable time from Val to GVA + car check in and then the 10 min transfer to the terminal, more if its the Sat after NY. I suspect 2 x one way hire will be more than a private transfer. If you pick one of the small operators in the EK I'm sure they will add a few euros an hour for the driver if you ask for a stop in advance - try snowstartransfers.co.uk
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I suppose you could look at hiring a car to somewhere like Aime or BSM where there will be a Hertz/Europecar whatever branch and then get a taxi up the hill but to be honest a private transfer bus will probably work out cheaper and definitely be a lot less hassle.
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| chocksaway wrote: |
| When are day are you going home? If its Saturday 4 hours would be a reasonable time from Val to GVA + car check in and then the 10 min transfer to the terminal, more if its the Sat after NY. I suspect 2 x one way hire will be more than a private transfer. If you pick one of the small operators in the EK I'm sure they will add a few euros an hour for the driver if you ask for a stop in advance - try snowstartransfers.co.uk |
Yes it is a Saturday
Thanks, sounds like a good plan, will have a look at that link.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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There's somebody on here that does 2 x 'one way' hire. They obviously join up folks travelling in opposite directions and somebody drives the car between two.
Trouble is, I can't, for the life of me, remember the name. I'll keep searching...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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trainee snowboard jedi, We have rented in the past from the French side of Geneva airport to Moutiers for a one way rental but I think it was out of season. I doubt it is worth it if you have to get to Val d'Isere from Moutiers or BSM if you have to drop the car off there.
Where are you looking for car hire for the three weeks?
I have had a quick look at a comparison site (carrentals.co.uk) and you can rent a car from the French side of Geneva airport for 3 weeks over the Christmas period from £333 for a mini car, £360 for a economy car, £400 for a compact car or £413 for a 5 seat people carrier. I doubt you could find 2 one way car rentals at that price especially considering the hassle you will have dropping off / picking up the hire car.
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| Quote: |
If its Saturday 4 hours would be a reasonable time from Val to GVA
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if it's a busy Saturday then judging by some of Steve Angus's transfer days, detailed on his thread the last couple of seasons, that could be optimistic.
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You know it makes sense.
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trainee snowboard jedi, I get lunch in Annecy in late spring / summer but over Xmas / New Year, unless I'm missing something?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Another option if your children like trains would be to take the train from Geneva to Chambery and stop there for lunch. I had a half hour stop over there a couple of years back at Xmas (last year I chose to fly into Lyon so got a through train to Bourg) and wandering outside the station there were several places to eat. Then train to Bourg St Maurice. 1st class travel is little more than second and well worth it.
The scenery from the train is spectacular in places especially the very long section along the lake, and there were plenty of children on board. Taxi from Bourg to VDI is around 60+ euros. Last Xmas up to Arc 2000 I used Taxi L'vie http://www.taxi-bourg-st-maurice.net/en/prices who were incredibly helpful, email arrangments were all in English, plus they allowed us to leave the luggage in the taxi whilst we shopped in the Super U, (taxi man nipped off to do another job as the Saturdays before Xmas are very busy) then helped me into our chalet with the luggage and shoppping in Arc 2000
Not the route you wanted but one my children would have enjoyed when they were young, though if yours are very young it may be a bit much with all the luggage. For myself and my elderly Aunt it was a very civilised transfer, cheaper, more convenient and nicer (particularly for the driver) than one way car hire would have been!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| franga wrote: |
| trainee snowboard jedi, I get lunch in Annecy in late spring / summer but over Xmas / New Year, unless I'm missing something? |
well it seems you are missing that he wants lunch on HIS return journey at New Year, not yours 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| skichampcouk wrote: |
trainee snowboard jedi, We have rented in the past from the French side of Geneva airport to Moutiers for a one way rental but I think it was out of season. I doubt it is worth it if you have to get to Val d'Isere from Moutiers or BSM if you have to drop the car off there.
Where are you looking for car hire for the three weeks?
I have had a quick look at a comparison site (carrentals.co.uk) and you can rent a car from the French side of Geneva airport for 3 weeks over the Christmas period from £333 for a mini car, £360 for a economy car, £400 for a compact car or £413 for a 5 seat people carrier. I doubt you could find 2 one way car rentals at that price especially considering the hassle you will have dropping off / picking up the hire car. |
That seems cheap, I had discounted 3 weeks hire having looked directly at Avis, Hertz and Europcar who wanted at least £2k for something a family of 4 with ski equipment could fit into. Are there any down sounds in going via a broker? I've always gone direct before as I have an Avis preferred card which makes life a bit quicker when you get there.
I will have a look at that site this evening
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| CaravanSkier wrote: |
Another option if your children like trains would be to take the train from Geneva to Chambery and stop there for lunch. I had a half hour stop over there a couple of years back at Xmas (last year I chose to fly into Lyon so got a through train to Bourg) and wandering outside the station there were several places to eat. Then train to Bourg St Maurice. 1st class travel is little more than second and well worth it.
The scenery from the train is spectacular in places especially the very long section along the lake, and there were plenty of children on board. Taxi from Bourg to VDI is around 60+ euros. Last Xmas up to Arc 2000 I used Taxi L'vie http://www.taxi-bourg-st-maurice.net/en/prices who were incredibly helpful, email arrangments were all in English, plus they allowed us to leave the luggage in the taxi whilst we shopped in the Super U, (taxi man nipped off to do another job as the Saturdays before Xmas are very busy) then helped me into our chalet with the luggage and shoppping in Arc 2000
Not the route you wanted but one my children would have enjoyed when they were young, though if yours are very young it may be a bit much with all the luggage. For myself and my elderly Aunt it was a very civilised transfer, cheaper, more convenient and nicer (particularly for the driver) than one way car hire would have been! |
Hadn't even considered this, how easy is it to get to the train station from Geneva airport? The one thing putting me off this idea is having to lug 2 snowboard bags, and kids bags and try to control 2 toddlers at the same time.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
The one thing putting me off this idea is having to lug 2 snowboard bags, and kids bags and try to control 2 toddlers at the same time.
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? On your own. I wouldn't (and I'm quite used to toddlers). But there is a station at the airport - that part is dead simple. But other changes might not be so simple. Personally I'd prefer to drive - I've done a lot of travelling with small kids, including very long-haul air. They always stay awake when you want them to sleep then drop into a dead sleep at the most inconvenient moment.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hired a car in Sallanches and dropped it in Briançon last year. Couldn't do the journey between 9am when the Avis office opened in Sallanches and Saturday midday closure of the garage concession in Briançon. So just dumped the car outside and put keys through letterbox, with a voicemail left in my best French, which didn't cause any problem.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Friends of ours use the Europcar in Bourg for drop offs on one way trips ( admittedly to les Arcs)... not saying it opens late, but late enough. You could transfer to the bus from there?
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Hmm with toddlers and luggage the journey would take some organising and at that age I`d go for a car if affordably possible! But then we always chose to drive when ours children were very small because of the practicalities of luggage etc. so I am a bit biased. Having said that you are still going to have to control toddlers and luggage from plane to car hire and actually plane to train in Geneva airport is very easy, but you do have to change in Geneva central, and Chambery! With older children the train would be great but maybe not so with toddlers.
The Bourg drop off Artic Roll mentions did not work for us time wise at all and you still have to get up to the resort. The only other thing I thought of was, but did not actually try, advertising on here for anyone wanting journeys the opposite way and see if a joint car hire could be arranged!
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trainee snowboard jedi,
| Quote: |
That seems cheap, I had discounted 3 weeks hire having looked directly at Avis, Hertz and Europcar who wanted at least £2k for something a family of 4 with ski equipment could fit into. Are there any down sounds in going via a broker? I've always gone direct before as I have an Avis preferred card which makes life a bit quicker when you get there.
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We use the site all the time for car rentals and have never had any problems, you'll receive a car from one of the major companies usually at a far cheaper price than going direct. The broker currently offering the cheapest offering over Christmas (I put in from 20/12 to 10/01) is 121 car hire and we have used them many times without any problem.
You can also buy the car excess insurance at a reasonable price with a quick google search. We have an annual policy with insurance4carhire.com which will cover any excess should you have an accident, again far cheaper than taking out the car hire company policies when you arrive there.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Get a private transfer to annecy and then another private transfer (or a taxi) from Annecy to Geneva
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Wow - I'm amazed with the knowledge on the forum and help with this question - many thanks to all that have responded, it is much appreciated.
| skichampcouk wrote: |
trainee snowboard jedi,
| Quote: |
That seems cheap, I had discounted 3 weeks hire having looked directly at Avis, Hertz and Europcar who wanted at least £2k for something a family of 4 with ski equipment could fit into. Are there any down sounds in going via a broker? I've always gone direct before as I have an Avis preferred card which makes life a bit quicker when you get there.
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We use the site all the time for car rentals and have never had any problems, you'll receive a car from one of the major companies usually at a far cheaper price than going direct. The broker currently offering the cheapest offering over Christmas (I put in from 20/12 to 10/01) is 121 car hire and we have used them many times without any problem.
You can also buy the car excess insurance at a reasonable price with a quick google search. We have an annual policy with insurance4carhire.com which will cover any excess should you have an accident, again far cheaper than taking out the car hire company policies when you arrive there. |
In the end I booked through your recommendation, a 7 seater from the Swiss side (weirdly £300 cheaper than the French side for some reason) for £954 through 121. Gives us the flex on our journey and means we can go to another resort one day of we want (apparently you can use the Espace Killy lift pass elsewhere although we have never done this before). Still seems a lot for a car that will be sat in a car park for most of the time, but I've bitten the bullet now and have started the man maths justification in my head!
Many thanks
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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trainee snowboard jedi, glad you got something sorted out in the end. The French side of Geneva is not consistently cheaper than the Swiss side, as you've discovered and the latter will give you snow tyres and the Swiss vignette, which are worth having.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Hope you have a super holiday!
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I use car hire brokers - Holiday Autos, Argus, etc - all the time and never have an issue. To make it even cheaper sign up for Quidco and use the links to get the broker prices. You will then get anything between 5% and 20% cashback from Quidco.
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You know it makes sense.
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On a 6 day EK Pass you can have one day in Paradiski and one day in 3V, there might be a deal in St Foy as well.
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